Articles

A wondrous female blanket octopus on a blackwater dive, Anilao, Philippines
 

The Philippines is a well-known, world-class dive destination, so it is no wonder there are many skilled underwater photographers who hail from the tropical Pacific country. One such photographer is Kellda Centeno, a divemaster who spends a lot of time in the water, giving her lots of image making opportunies. Kellda’s underwater journey began in Donsol on a snorkeling trip for whale sharks. Shortly thereafter, she was scuba certified in the macro haven of Anilao. Kellda considers the latter her hometown dive area, as it is just a few hours’ drive from where she lives.

As with many underwater photographers, Kellda’s first camera was a small point-and-shoot. As many of us can also relate to, it flooded! Kellda learned how to photograph Anilao’s macro subjects on weekend escapes from the city and started traveling to locations outside Anilao for more wide-angle and big-animal sightings. Two years ago, she discovered blackwater diving and enjoys the pursuit of rare creatures in the inky blackness of deep water far offshore.

Kellda’s work has been recognized through success in competitions and publication opportunities, both locally and internationally. She recently started holding macro workshops for beginner photographers in her local waters, and became a member of the Kraken Pro Team. Kellda still has a long list of places to visit and creatures to see (don’t we all!), and she looks forward to pushing her photography skills further.
 

A “Pikachu” nudibranch, Anilao, Philippines
 

A giant frogfish stretching its jaws while it waits for prey on a wreck, Anilao, Philippines
 

The much sought after paddle-flap Rhinopias scorpionfish, Anilao, Philippines
 

A squid that has caught dinner on a blackwater dive, Anilao, Philippines
 

A seahorse couple with a sparkly background, Anilao, Philippines
 

A beautiful morning scene at Rhun Island, Indonesia
 

Pinchin, a resident sperm whale in the waters around Dominica
 

An oceanic whitetip shark comes up to inspect the camera, Red Sea, Egypt
 

A female paper nautilus hitching a ride on a thimble jellyfish, Anilao, Philippines
 

A diver exploring Casa Cenote, Mexico
 

A Napoleon wrasse posing for the camera, Red Sea, Egypt
 

A massive and friendly oceanic manta, Socorro Islands, Mexico
 

To see more of Kellda’s lovely work, please give her a follow on Instagram.